The Assassination of Richard Nixon 2004

In 1973, Sam Bicke (portrayed by Sean Penn), a 43-year-old salesman from Philadelphia, finds himself battling a wave of misfortune. He yearns to mend the rift with his estranged wife, Marie (played by Naomi Watts). A man driven by his principles, he quit his job at his brother Julius’s (rendered by Michael Wincott) tire shop, claiming it was because he couldn’t bear to lie to customers. In a misguided belief that society’s inequalities impact poor white people in a similar way to racial minorities, he tries to align himself with the Black Panthers. His ultimate ambition revolves around launching a mobile tire business alongside his best friend, Bonny (performed by Don Cheadle), an African-American mechanic.

Sam secures a position at an office furniture store, where his new boss, Jack (played by Jack Thompson), offers him condescending advice while Sam’s social awkwardness hampers his sales performance. Jack praises Richard Nixon, calling him the greatest salesman for promising U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam while basking in his re-election victory in 1972 with a similar promise, a stark reminder of the disillusionment that grips Sam.

As time goes by, he grows increasingly frustrated with his place in society. Desperate to obtain a government loan for his venture with Bonny, he anxiously anticipates a response in the mail. His performance continues to plummet, and suspicion arises regarding his marital status since Jack only hires married salesmen. Meanwhile, Marie’s consistent rejection of Sam’s sporadic attempts at reconciliation—culminating in her sending him a divorce decree—leaves him heartbroken and in tears. In a moment of anger, he sabotages his work sale to make a statement and, subsequently, quits his job. Watching Nixon during the Watergate scandal, he shouts at the screen, >“It’s about money, Dick!”

With the loan application still unapproved, Sam resorts to breaking into his brother’s tire shop to place a substantial order for Bonny. Soon, however, his application is denied, his rent is overdue, and he learns that Julius has taken matters into his own hands by bailing out Bonny following a legal mishap. This revelation seals Sam’s fate as Julius cuts ties with him entirely, deeming him a hypocritical deadweight.

As despair tightens its grip, Sam becomes fixated on Nixon. After witnessing a news segment about a helicopter pilot who flew near the White House and was subsequently arrested, a dark plan starts to take shape in his mind—a plot to hijack a commercial airplane and crash it into the very heart of American politics. In the subsequent two weeks leading up to his drastic action, he records a message to his idol, Leonard Bernstein, outlining his intentions and emotional struggles.

In preparation for this audacious act, Sam withdraws his savings, steals Bonny’s gun, and targets a restaurant where Jack is dining. He finds himself unable to pull the trigger and panics, fleeing the scene. He then spends a restless night in the empty shell of his former home before committing an unthinkable act of violence against their family dog. The following day, he heads to the Baltimore–Washington International Airport, concealing a gun against his leg and carrying a suitcase of gasoline. After mailing his confession to Bernstein, he initially plans to wait to board his flight but, overwhelmed by unexpected security measures, he sprints onto the plane, shooting a police officer in the chaos.

Once aboard, he indiscriminately fires at the cockpit, fatally wounding one pilot and injuring another. In a frantic bid to assert control, he coerces a passenger to take on the role of co-pilot. However, as law enforcement intervenes, he is shot through a window but tragically opts for suicide before authorities can apprehend him. The chilling aftermath of his actions plays out on television, yet neither Bonny nor Marie shows any noticeable reaction to the tragedy surrounding Sam’s descent into madness.